


Some Things Never Change

by SusieBeeca



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Chivalry, Earth, Gen, Journey to Earth, Lars is a dork, Off Colors, off colours - Freeform, padparadscha's vision is useful, yes i totally stole this from a movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 11:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15929612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SusieBeeca/pseuds/SusieBeeca
Summary: When Padparadscha gets to Earth, everything seems different. But some things are just the same.Or... at least, they SHOULD be.





	Some Things Never Change

“Earth is such an unusual planet!”

Padparadscha was still twirling the alien growth---a so-called “dandelion”---between her fingers as she trailed along beside her Captain. She could tell that the Earthling sprout would soon be wilting under her grasp, but she couldn’t yet bear to part with it. It was part of Lars’ home, and she treasured it immensely.

“Yeah, I guess it’s weird,” he agreed. She knew he would be falling into a confusing muddle of emotions. “But I can’t believe how normal it seems to me now.”

“Captain Lars! I forsee that you will be experiencing some pain!”

He almost tripped, and glanced at her with a startled expression.

“The pain of growth.” She pulled the flower up to her mouth and dusted the petals over her chin. “You see, you are becoming a better gem---sorry, a better _human_ with every realization!”

“Uh, okay.”

“And I will be there to help you.”

He chuckled and ran a hand over the stubble growing on the side of his head. “Thanks, Padparadscha. I know I can always count on you.”

She pulled on her lip as she pondered the visions she’d been bombarded with since they first touched down on this planet. Its thin, shifting crust seemed almost as fragile as her Captain’s sense of self. Why would a being of mere flesh be so troubled? Why did he need so much support? Padparadscha sucked her teeth, all shivery and nervous; she wanted to do her best, given the circumstances, but it seemed he needed her even more than she needed him. She cleared her throat…

“Captain Lars, I can tell that you have felt… well… inadequate before, but, perhaps, now you can be more than you have ever hoped to b---”

“Hey, whoa!”

He slapped his arm across her waist, holding her back. The edges of her petticoats fluttered as she came to a standstill, and then she turned her head up to him, her mouth open in a silent question.

“Careful, Pads!” Lars said with a twinkle in his eye. “You were about to step in a mud puddle!”

After a moment, she looked down to what he’d just pointed out. Yes… surely enough, she saw what he’d alerted her to: there was, indeed, a puddle of watery filth in her path.

Her bangs shifted over her eye, and she hid her demure giggle against her shoulder. “Goodness! Captain Lars! Oh, what a wondrous vision---you will be a gentleman!”

He grinned at her and shrugged. “Well, that’s what I do best. Heh.”

She stared at him.

Then down at the puddle.

Then back at him.

His smile faltered… 

…And hers disappeared.

“What? Why are you staring at me like that?” A drop of sweat leaked into his collar. “What is it?”

Padparadscha let out a sigh and shook her head. With a delicate grasp, she picked up her outer skirt and lifted it up.

And that’s when the faulty elevator in Lars’ brain finally hit the top floor. 

_“OH!”_ His heart dropped to his belly and he jumped back, spluttering and trying in vain to regain his composure. “Oh shit!” he shouted, suddenly all thumbs, as he began to frantically fumble with the clasp holding his cape to his body. “Okay, okay, I got it! Hold on a minute, I---”

He whipped it off and was about to throw it in front of her path, but the refined Sapphire brushed past him and went splashing through the mud with a disappointed pout. “Too late, Captain.”

**Author's Note:**

> The first person who spots the reference gets a cookie!


End file.
